21st Anniversary Fresh Hop Pale Ale | Boulevard Brewing Co.

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Notes / Commercial Description:
In November of 1989, John McDonald loaded his pickup and drove three blocks down the street to deliver the very first keg of Boulevard beer. Though significantly more assertive, Boulevard 21st Anniversary Fresh Hop Pale Ale is brewed in loving tribute to that original Pale Ale. English pale malt gives the brew a rich, nutty malt flavor. Munich and Caramel malts add color and body, while a blend of Cascade, Hallertau, Magnum, Styrian Golding, and Centennial hops contribute scintillating citrus aromas and complex, peppery notes.

Tiny bubbled egg shell color head leaves a think curtain of lace on the glass. Maroon-ish amber color with only a sight haze from the hops. Minty, peppery, leafy and citric peel freshness in the nose from the hops. Smooth and creamy lush malty body. The hop bitterness stay pretty mellow, just a low level of prickliness. The flavor however is layered on thick with orange peel, blond tobacco, and peppercorn. Alcohol jumps in with a splash of apple and pear fruitiness. Oh yeah, there is malt year ... a great base of it with a hint of caramel and biscuit. Leafy dryness in the end.

I really do love these fresh hop ales, BLVD does a great job here and I certainly received my hop fix here.

I'm going to make this a short review, I'm already getting odd looks from my family and friends for pulling out my mac to write about beer.

Poured from the bottle into a tulip, my pints were taken.

I'm very much a fan of this style and this is maybe one of the better examples I've had of it. I need to find more and, um, drink it, I doubt you could sit on these for long. The pour is a generous 3 fingers worth of head. There's some lacing, on the glass, maybe my fault, but it doesn't seem to form much around the top of the rim. The nose is wonderful, faint but very nice floral, citrus notes. The taste is a well balance of the spice and hops, some citrus grapefruit taste but not overwhelming. There's a slight sour finish to it, that's a nice bite at the end. It's very easily drinkable, something I can sit and sip on for a long while.

If you can find a bottle still, do yourself a favor and buy it. Now I'm going to go back to cringing at my dad and his friend drink bourbon and coke out of my pint glasses. I hate the holidays.

A - Poured into a pint glass. Golden amber. A perfect inch of white head that holds on.

S - Honeysuckle and a lighter citrus.

T - Light taste compared other fresh hop ales I've had. Still good. Malt and hops are balanced well with the malt sweetness coming through just a little more than the bitter of the hops.

M - Moderate body, a good amount of bubbles on the tongue, but it does not come off as too carbonated.

D - Despite my preconceived idea that a fresh hop ale should be "hoppy" apparently Boulevard was after a more malty pale ale. In that respect they succeeded. It drinks great; easy to drink but complex enough to enjoy slowly.

Thanks to hwwty4 for this 750 mL corked and caged bottle. A little late for a harvest ale, so it was opened immediately.

A: The ale has a harvesty auburn look, dark ferrous hues that leave the ale generally opaque. A sizeable head, over a finger, accompanied the first pour and laced as it receded.

S: The nose has a strong caramel presence, making up for the degraded hops. The hops that remain have lost the harvest edge but retain a citrusy taste.

T: Caramel malts, bready with an English toffee vibe, start things off right. The chewiness makes up for the reduced hop presence. Those hops, citrusy, still have a strong rind and grapefruit taste. In hindsight, I'm pleased with how the ale has held up.

M: The mouthfeel is malty, a bready meal in a bottle. The hops remain vibrant enough to feel like a harvest ale.

D: A split the bottle with a friend, a better way to make my way through it. A decent harvest ale that has aged out well.

Poured from a 750ml corked and caged bottle into a tulip glass. I thought I was never going to get that cork out. Had an issue with the last several Boulevards and corks. Getting to be a bit annoying. Best by date on 6/11 on back label. This was just released and store got it a week ago so it's fresh. Oh yeah! It was a very hazy amber color with good carb from the etching. It had a massive 2+ finger foamy head that very slowly settled into a good collar and foam cap. Good lacing with a little sticking.

The aroma was excellent with pine and citric hops blending with the English malt. Caramel. Excellent for an APA and worth lots of sniffs throughout. The taste was also excellent. Starts out with a solid caramel malt base. In the middle, the spicy hops kick in for a great flavor burst. Towards the end, the bitter pine hops start to ramp up for a good mild bitter finish that doesn't linger too long. Really liked this one especially the middle. Mouthfeel was nice and chewy with good carb levels and great aftertaste.

Overall, this was a great beer. I've been more IPA or DIPA but this one really grabbed my attention. Great balance of the sweet malt with some spicy and bitter hops. Highly recommend especially if you can get fresh. Avail here in TX. Rotation - one time anniversary release and best fresh so I'll probably grab a couple more. If regular and in 12oz bottles, this would make the rotation. [R;Y]

Flavor: Up front, the hops are citrusy, bright, and lightly piney with moderate bitterness. Underneath, the toasty caramel malt backbone balances everything out perfectly. It's deceptively simple at first, but as the glass empties, you begin to appreciate it more and more. Leafy hops and toasty malt in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and a little creamy with medium-high carbonation and drying finish.

Drinkability: This drinks like any other Pale Ale, so keep the moderately high alcohol content in mind.

Verdict: This is another of those great Pale Ales that feature lots of deep and enjoyable hop character without bashing you over the head like a IPA or DIPA. Pity this isn't a regular brew, as it's one of the best American Pales I've tried. A fitting tribute to 21 years of Boulevard.

Nice deep amber color, with a fluffy, bubbly, generous 3 finger head with good retention but not a whole lot of lace.

Took a whiff of the cork after it popped and wow there was some permeated fresh hop aromas in it! Aroma was very woodsy, piny, floral, grassy and definitely of fresh hops/bitterness. There's some predominant malt backbones in there, mostly of the sweetish caramel persuasion.

Good bit of floral hops in the taste, with some good bits of citrus as well. Malts were a bit more underlying than in the aroma, but there and provide good balance. Pleasant bitter finish.

The feel is light, slightly creamy textured, a bit of a carbonation bite, though the carbonation is overall adequate.

I won't have any trouble putting the 25.4oz's away, so, drinkability is solid.

another one that i was absolutely thrilled to be able to get ahold of. served cold and poured into a pint glass.

Pours a nice copper tone, with a good sized head that has some nice clumping and staying power as well as some decent lacing throughout. Smell is wonderfully hopped, like a pine cone dipped in orange juice! Fantastic full hoppy smell. Taste is right up with the smell. Full on hops from the gate. Piney, very grassy and citus, AWESOME. Very smooth with a nice dry aftertaste that begs you to come back for more.

overall really great and nicely done for the style. does not make itself come off too heavy which is a welcome relief.

Pours an orange amber with a nice fizzy head. Aroma is very much hop forward, with notes of grapefruit, grass, and some pine in the background. Taste is very much crisp and clean, with a pleasant lingering bitterness. The caramel and biscuity malt profile keep you coming back for more. My first thoughts when tasting the beer is that it's fresh - maybe that's the marketing speak in the back of my head talking. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a nice carbonation level that keeps things from being watery. This beer is very full flavored, it's like a souped-up version of Boulevard's normal Pale Ale. As a fan of that beer I find this one quite tasty.